It was an evening of fast wheels, jousting and lots of scoring by the St. Louis Gatekeeper's Roller Derby Team on Saturday, August 15th. But in the midst of it all, there was a push for awareness and prevention. The Gatekeepers lost one of their co-founders, Evan Jones, by suicide a few weeks ago and they want to honor his memory and also prevent this type of tragedy from happening again. They contacted us so we could spread the word about our crisis hotline and other services. We're here to help those in need and

May is Mental Health Awareness Month and Fox2 News interviewed Jane Smith, our Crisis Counselor, about the importance of mental health. Jane spoke about reducing the stigma of mental illness and available resources for individuals in the St. Louis area. Click here to hear her complete interview.

With one in five adult Americans experiencing mental illness in the past year,

Shoppers came out of the woodwork to support Provident and our services. Close to 130 attended to enjoy the historical atmosphere of the Kirkwood Train Station, savor adult beverages and light appetizers and peruse the wonderful treasures of locat artisans. Artisans included: Patty Carnahan Jewelry, Magnolia's European Florals & Specialty Boutique, Mary Hanson painter, sammysoap and Billy the Ceramist, Functional Pottery. We're also grateful for the generous donations of locat retailers including:

Provident is excited to once again participate in Give STL Day on Tuesday, May 5.
Sponsored by the Greater Saint Louis Community Foundation, Give STL Day is a 24-hour online giving event that allows community members to support participating nonprofits. It’s one day with lasting local impact!

As part of Provident’s ongoing commitment to community services, the agency is expanding its efforts in North St. Louis County, opening a second location in conjunction with The Urban League of Greater St. Louis, which is opening the Ferguson Community Empowerment Center.

On November 26th, Steve Sullivan, our Executive Director, was interviewed by David Greene from NPR regarding his views on the Ferguson situation. Steve's primary message is that our community needs to engage in the uncomfortable conversations to fully understand the other side. Click here

Churches throughout North St. Louis County and north St. Louis have formed a coalition to assist students in the Ferguson-Florissant and Riverview Gardens School Districts in the event the districts cancel classes due to safety or other concerns related to community reaction to the impending announcement by the St. Louis County grand jury. Provident will be available at the churches to provide counseling to students who need emotional support during this time.

The churches, which were selected by the districts based on location to provide maximum coverage of each school district’s attendance area and facility resources, pledged to serve as sites for meals, educational activities and counseling services between the hours of 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. for children and families in the event the schools are closed.

“Our hope is that reaction to the grand jury’s findings will be peaceful and will not disrupt the lives and education of our students, families and community,” said F. Willis Johnson, pastor of Wellspring Church in Ferguson. “That being said, it is important that we are prepared and that we ensure that the children and families of our community receive needed support in the event that schools are closed.” http://www.ksdk.com/story/news/l

Visit this link to view KSDK's coverage of the announcement on November 14th, 2014.

For individual or family counseling at our Ferguson Office, 409 South Florissant Road, Ferguson, MO 63135, please contact our first appointment line at 314.533.8200. If you need immediate support, contact our Helpline to receive crisis counseling over the phone ... 314.446.5158. Also, click here to view a document that Provident therapists compiled regarding how to deal with trauma.